


The Mayhem of The Morning After (Even If It's Afternoon)

by TheSunWasAlwaysInHerEyes



Category: Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell, Simon Snow series - Gemma T. Leslie
Genre: Confusing POV Shifts, Explicit Language, Fluff, M/M, No Plot/Plotless, One Shot, Pre-Carry On, Randomness, SnowBaz
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-03
Updated: 2015-10-03
Packaged: 2018-04-24 12:48:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4920214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSunWasAlwaysInHerEyes/pseuds/TheSunWasAlwaysInHerEyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a wild night, the boys wake up hungover and in a bit of a predicament.</p><p>Now, Penny and Agatha have to bail them out. As per usual.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Mayhem of The Morning After (Even If It's Afternoon)

**Author's Note:**

> First, a huge thank you to EVERYONE who commented, gave kudos, or even just clicked on my last fic. You are the only reason that this is seeing the light of day. A friend suggested the main theme, but they cannot be blamed for what follows. Ideally, I'd spend a few more weeks revising and hacking away at this, but I'm traveling for the next few weeks and am certain it wouldn't have made the 'ole October 6th deadline. I'm not happy with it as of now, but whatever. Maybe I'll come back and fix it someday. So sorry for the confusing POV shifting. In hindsight, I should have just done one POV, but it would take me too long to go back and change that now. I'm sorry! And now I really have to go. Anyway... Enjoy?

Simon's eyes flickered open. The bright shine of sunlight stung, so he quickly closed them again.

He groaned. His head was pounding like a sledgehammer.

 _What happened last night?_ he wondered as he rubbed his temples, eyes still locked shut. The last thing he could remember was Penny and Agatha, some empty bottles of tequila, and... _Baz?_

Simon was about to drift back into a hangover-induced sleep when he heard a gentle snoring beside him. His eyes shot open and stared directly into the open, fanged mouth of his sleeping roommate.

_Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no!_

"Baz!" Simon hit his friend on the shoulder, who immediately jerked awake.

"Snow?" he said groggily. He shot up straight in bed. "Oh Crowley!" Baz's pale face perfectly reflected the shock of Simon's in a _'What are you doing in my bed, Snow!'_ kind of way.

"What the hell happened last night?" Simon asked frantically, all sleepiness gone.

"You don't know?" Baz squeaked. Simon had never imagined that Baz was capable of uttering a noise that could be described as a 'squeak'.

"Do you?" Simon demanded. Baz's sleepy grey eyes widened, his pale skin contrasting sharply with his full, pink lips.

"No! The last thing I can remember is... the girls... and music... and so much tequila." Baz winced and rubbed his head. Both Baz and Simon tended towards banging headaches after drinking, unlike Agatha who could always be found clutching a sick bucket like it was the last lifejacket on a sinking ship.

Simon was nervously looking around their room. It was a mess. Things were strewn across the floor and beds and desks. An alarm clock reading 4:57 lay on the ground. _Jeez, is it really that late in the day?_ Dresser drawers hung out haphazardly and what appeared to be the entire contents of the closet lay in a heap _on the ceiling._ He looked over at his empty bed, trying incredibly hard to think of a reason as to why he wasn't in it.

"Well, I mean, I'm sure we just came back here after the party and, you know, just crashed or something, right?" Simon said, only slightly frantically. "You know how end-of-term parties are, we were probably just insanely out of it."

Baz nodded his head, running a hand through his sleep tousled hair. "Right. Yeah. I'm sure that's it," he said, obviously attempting to do so with as much confidence as he could muster.

Simon still couldn't believe he had just woken up in Baz's bed. Not that he hadn't imagined it hundreds of times before. Never quite like this, though, with no memory as to how he ended up there. It smelled like Baz, the sheets and pillows. Sharp and cool and musky, (like a forest, not an animal) and just so... right. Ok, so maybe he already knew what Baz's pillow smelled like, and not at all because he had once pressed his face into it when Baz was with absolute certainty preoccupied somewhere _far_ across the castle grounds. In all of Simon's fantasizing of awaking in this way, though, he had never accounted for the fact that he would be so close to Baz that he could feel his body heat warming his skin, an amazing discovery. Simon watched as Baz pushed his hair out of his face, revealing his strong jawline. It was all Simon could do to not reach out and trace it with a finger. Or with his lips.

 _I'm so fucked_ , Simon thought to himself miserably.

"Watford parties sure are crazy," Baz mumbled, bringing Simon back to the present moment. He pulled back the covers to swing out of bed, and stopped.

"Hmm... Ahh, one small problem," Baz said as his bare feet softly landed on the hardwood floor. "That doesn't exactly explain as to why I'm only wearing underwear." Both Baz and Simon were looking down at the red-checkered boxer shorts with impending dread. Simon quick jumped out of bed, and had to stifle a shout.

"Shit, Baz! At least you're wearing underwear!" Simon pulled the hem of the shirt he luckily had on down. It barely covered his...'X-Rated' bits...

"What the hell happened last night?" Baz's typical no-tell face mask was nowhere in sight and his tone had shifted from embarrassedly-flustered to horrifically-scared. Simon figured it had something to do with the fact that the powder-blue button-up he was nervously pulling at looked suspiciously like the shirt Baz had been wearing yesterday. Baz stared open mouthed at Simon, taking it all in. For the only time ever in his life, he was thankful that Baz was taller than him and therefore the shirt was slightly too big.

Simon ran a hand through his hair anxiously, sitting on the edge of Baz's bed as carefully as possible so as not to flash his roommate. "Just... Try to think back as hard as you can. I mean, we weren't that drunk, right?" The desperate pitch of Simon's voice made Baz cringe.

"Speak for yourself," he moaned, crinkling his nose and massaging his temples furiously as he flopped down onto his bed. He sprawled out on his stomach with a dejected huff, nuzzling his face into his pillow. Simon swallowed, trying (and failing) to avert his gaze from Baz's shapely, plaid-clad rear. Simon could feel his cheeks warm to a red hue.

 _What's wrong with me?!_ Simon thought to himself, shaking his head furiously, and then groaning because that was an incredibly stupid thing to do after the obscene amounts of alcohol he had consumed previously. _Pull it together, Snow! You have to get over this stupid crush already! I mean, sure, you just woke up mostly naked in his bed, but that doesn't mean anything... right?_

"Maybe Penny or Agatha know something?" Simon suggested.

As if on cue, Simon's laptop began to ring over on his desk. Agatha's picture popped up along with her request to Skype.

The two boys locked eyes for a moment before vaulting over to Simon's cluttered desk, tripping over Crowley knows what in their hurry.

"She has to have some answers for us," Baz insisted, pulling his desk chair over to sit next to Simon. Baz flicked his hair out of his face in the sexiest way possible, causing Simon to take in a sharp breath of air. His smooth alabaster neck practically mocking the blue-eyed boy.

"Are you going to accept her call? Or should we sit around half-naked for the rest of the day?" Baz said, raising a single eyebrow while the left side of his mouth twitched slightly up, smirking. Simon was 90% sure Baz had caught him staring. And 100% sure his face was crimson.

"Oh, uh, yeah." Simon quickly clicked the 'accept' button on the screen. Both boys yelped in surprise when they saw the pasty-faced, frizzy-haired, sad ghost of Agatha Wellbelove looking at them with bloodshot eyes.

"What the hell happened to you?" Simon blurted out.

"Nice to see you, too," she said, squinting her eyes and pursing her lips in annoyance.

"You look awful," Baz commented.

"Have you looked in a mirror yet today, Basil?" she asked with ill-masked contempt. "You look like you just crawled out of your coffin."

"At least I have an excuse for looking like the undead," Baz shot back with a scowl.

"Ladies! We all look like hell-spawn, okay? It's the price we have to pay for attending stupid parties," Simon butted in. Baz kicked him in the leg, most definitely for the 'ladies' part.

"Whatever," Agatha sighed, running a hand over her eyes.

"So... What's up?" Simon asked, rubbing his newly-bruised shin.

"Well, Penny just force-fed me some sort of new hangover cure she'd been experimenting with," she made a face of disgust, "So I'm newly upright and figured you'd be as well by now. Just wanted to check up on you two after last night's craziness." Simon and Baz groaned simultaneously. She just chuckled. "I'm surprised you even answered. I half-thought you'd be too _preoccupied_ to take my call." She wiggled her eyebrows in what could only be described as a suggestive manner.

Simon and Baz exchanged a glance.

"What exactly do you mean by preoccupied?" Simon asked hesitantly, his heart beating a mile a minute.

"Oh, come on! _Everyone_ knows what you two were up to," she giggled.

_Great. Everyone except for us._

Simon was looking intensely at the small square on the screen that showed him and Baz, attempting to read his roommate’s expression without having to try and sneak a glance at him. He looked positively petrified from what Simon could tell.

 _Maybe..._ he thought to himself. _No. Agatha obviously cannot mean what I'm thinking she means... Not possible._

She suddenly perked up. "Well, I see we've made it to that point in our friendship where we're comfortable Skyping in our underwear. Or, in Simon's case, completely commando." Simon blushed furiously at that, again tugging on the hem of his shirt. "Anyway, I'll let you guys go. I'm guessing I'll probably run into you at some point this weekend... or not." She laughed again.

"Wait!" both Simon and Baz called out before she could click off. She paused.

"Agatha..." Baz looked over at Simon and sighed. His tone was flat and serious, successfully catching the blonde girl's attention. "We can't remember anything from last night."

"What?" she asked, confused.

 _"Anything,"_ Simon said, rubbing the back of his neck.

A slow smile crept onto her face. "Hot damn..."

\--------------------

 

"Well, this has got to be awkward."

"You think?" Baz nearly growled at Agatha. He averted his gaze as Simon was pulling on a pair of his underwear, (Simon's underwear... Gosh...) that had been conveniently laying on the floor along with all of their other belongings.

 _Crowley, Snow, why do you have to be such a hot mess all the time?_ Baz thought, sighing.

"I'm back," Simon announced, slipping back onto his chair beside Baz.

"Oh good. Did you hear, Agatha? The Mage's Heir is back, we can resume breathing," Baz grumbled, flinching slightly as Simon's shoulder brushed against his. It felt like pure electricity was crackling through every skin cell on his arm just from the brief touch. He could barely suppress a shudder. _Seeing_ Snow wearing his favorite blue shirt had been problematic enough, (he luckily had the sense to lay down and cover his front before his 'problem' became apparent to Simon as well), but to _feel_ the smooth fabric atop Snow's warm, toned skin against his own bare shoulder just about flung him over the edge.

Simon had just opened his mouth to no doubt give some half-witted, snarky reply when Agatha cut him off.

"Don't start, you two. It's far too early in the..." Agatha glanced away, presumably at a clock, "afternoon for your incessant bickering."

Just then, Baz and Simon could hear a door open and slam shut somewhere off-screen.

"Incessant bickering? You must be talking to our two lovebirds!" Penny's grinning face filled Simon's computer screen. She appeared clean and awake, not at all like the other three. Most likely due to the fact that she didn't drink. "Or maybe lovebunnies would apply to this situation a bit better." 

Baz nearly choked at her words. _Absolutely not! No matter what this looks like... it can't possibly be like that._

Penny started to laugh before Agatha’s petite hand grabbed her shoulder.

"Not so fast, Pen. Apparently, our darling friends can't quite recall the exciting events of last night." Penny and Agatha shared a look before turning back to the screen. Both girls' eyes gleamed with mirth, identical broad smiles on their faces.

"Baz," Simon whispered to his roommate. "I'm scared."

"So am I, Simon," Baz whispered back. Simon coughed slightly, as though surprised. It wasn't until Baz looked over him, confused by his reaction that he realized, to his horror, he had called him by his first name.

 _Bloody Crowley, Baz! Who's the hot mess now!_ rang through his head. _I must be losing my touch._ It was too late now, though. Baz had known for years that he was totally infatuated with the honey-haired Mage's Heir who just so happened to be his roommate. He also knew he could never act on it. It wasn't possible for Simon to feel the same for him. Certainly not with the way Baz treated him.

 _"Yoo-hoo... Earth to Simon and Basil?"_ Agatha waved her hand in front of the computer screen to get their attention.

 _"Nicolas J. Julius,_ Ag, don't throw those phrases around so lightly!" Penny admonished, closing her right hand around the glittering ring on her left-middle finger.

"Oh, hush. I'm pretty sure I left my instrument in Lucinda's undergarment drawer last night."

"When were you in Lucinda's room?" Simon asked at the same time that Penny said, "When were you in Lucinda's undergarment drawer?"

"You mean, when were _we_ in Lucinda's room?" Agatha smirked, ignoring Penny's question and slightly annoyed glare. "How about I tell you two boys a story. Well, you see, it starts somewhere around one in the morni-"

"Wait!" Penny slapped her hand over Agatha's mouth. She turned to Penny in annoyance at being interrupted mid-tale, but the red-haired girl just tilted her head subtly towards the doorway.

"Could you boys give us a minute?" Penny said sweetly, pulling Agatha behind her and out of the frame. Baz could occasionally hear a word or two drifting in from out of the room.

_"Not sure...tell them...bad idea...”_

_"Hush Pen...so obvious...going nuts...crazy sexual tension..."_ Baz swallowed nervously at that last snippet.

He heard Simon rustle beside him.

_Morgan’s Grace, please tell me he can't hear them_

Baz was way too embarrassed to function right now. He was almost positive what happened the night before went something like this: he got shit-faced, told everyone and their mother about his feelings for Snow, Snow was too shit-faced to be properly disgusted, both of them being entirely too wasted to form a coherent thought came back here and proceeded to pass out in the most compromising manner possible, leaving them where they are now.

_Yeah, that sounds about right._

Terror welled in Baz's chest. He couldn't take this. He wasn't strong enough to face that sort of embarrassment.

Simon gently cleared his throat. "Baz, I just want to say that-"

"I know, Snow," Baz snapped harshly before he could stop himself. This was all way too much for him to handle. His heart fell into the pit of his stomach as he looked into Simon's deep blue eyes. "I know that whatever the fuck happened last night, it shouldn't have." Baz's lashing tone could have curdled milk. "I don't even know why I was at that imbecilic party in the first place. Just another excuse for your fan club to get in their daily dose of worship to the All-Powerful Mage's Heir, vanquisher of the Insidious Humdrum." Baz wanted to take back every word of what he just said, but he couldn't. Instead, he just sat there, looking emotionless and feeling petrified, waiting for Simon's outburst.

"Fine. If that's how it's going to be," Simon said flatly.

Baz was surprised when Simon didn't respond with some idiotic comeback or even a swinging fist. For the first time in a long time, Baz worried he had taken it too far.

\--------------------

Today was just too much. Simon was already exhausted, despite the fact that he had woken up mere minutes ago. The crashing headache, courtesy of his hangover, was jumbling his thoughts. He looked up into Baz's cold, grey eyes. Simon felt drained.

 _'Whatever the fuck happened last night, it shouldn't have.'_ Baz's harsh words stung like a slap.

_He is always going to think of me as the idiotic, entitled Mage's Heir. Just like everyone else._

"Simon, I..." Baz trailed off, as though trying to find the right words. Simon sensed that Baz regretted what he had said. To some degree.

"Whatever, Baz. I get it."

 _"Oh stop!"_ Baz shouted, and if Simon wasn't mistaken with a slightly pinkish hue crawling up his neck. "You look as though I just kicked your puppy. God, Simon, I'm sorry, alright. That was a stupid thing to say." Baz nervously ran a hand through his thick, raven hair. "I just..." he let out a long breath of air. ”I just don't know what to do with you."

_God, I have to stop falling for you, Baz._

"You're right. That was a stupid thing to say." Simon kept his voice even and unforgiving. He turned out of his seat to leave, but Baz grabbed the cuff of his sleeve and pulled him back down.

"You're so fucking annoying, Snow. I'm sorry! Forgive me already!" Baz nearly demanded, not letting go of the shirtsleeve. Simon knew he wasn't accustom to apologizing. He was desperately trying to get Simon to look at him

"Please."

_Damn you Tyrannus Basilton Pitch!_

Simon sighed.

"Fine. Although I have to say, I could get used to you begging for my forgiveness every once in a while." Simon half smiled. Baz just huffed.

"Don't count on it."

 _"Awwwww!"_ Simon and Baz nearly jumped out of their seats. High-pitched squeals were emanating from Simon's laptop speakers. Penny and Agatha's eyes gleamed as they made lovey-noises towards the boys.

 _Idiot, we're still Skyping!_ Simon berated himself. How long had they been listening? He could feel heat growing on his cheeks, but whatever it looked like, it couldn't hold a candle to the scarlet red of Baz's face. He looked as though he wanted nothing more than to slink out of the room and never speak to any of them again.

This, of course, caused the girls to burst out into uncontrollable laugher. Even Simon couldn't resist giggling.

"Damn you all!" Baz hissed, making the girls laugh even more. Simon was worried that Agatha was going to pee her pants when she fell out of her seat.

"You guys... are just... too cute!" Penny was barely able to get out.

"Alright, ha ha, Baz is a moron. You three have had you laugh, now would you please shush up already?" Simon could tell that Baz was nearing the end of his rope.

"Ahhh... Fine," sighed Agatha, wiping tears from her eyes. "I don't think I've laughed that hard since third year when Martin lit Miss Possibelf's pants on fire."

After a few moments, once everyone had collected themselves, Penny cleared her throat with a soft 'ahem'.

"We decided to tell you about last night,” Penny started, flashing Agatha a warry look. “But, first thing's first, Agatha and I will be coming over to your room."

The moment the words left her lips, Simon and Baz began forcefully protesting.

"Absolutely not!" Baz declared to the screen.

"No way, Pen. This place is a complete wreck." Simon insisted.

"Shhhhh...." Agatha shushed at the boys, gently massaged her temples. "Too loud."

"Simon, Baz," Penny looked at them both. "Do you want to know what happened?"

They shared a glance. "...Yes," they both sighed out.

"Well, than. That is one of my requirements. We will be over in fifteen." Both girls stood up from the computer to get ready.

 _"Speak for yourself, Penny. I'm going to need at least a half-hour."_ Agatha's voice carried through the speakers before the video cut out.

Simon and Baz stared at the blank screen for a few moments, attempting to process the extreme insanity that was their life. Simon turned to Baz.

"Well...Shit. This place is a dump," Simon said, taking in the mess around them.

"Not like your half of the room looks much different. I'll start on the floor if you fix the furniture," Baz suggested. He seemed grateful for an easy excuse to not think about what all just happened.

"Sounds good."

Simon sure knew he certainly was.

\--------------------

_This. Is. Torture._

Baz felt like he was suffocating with an oxygen mask on. Like he was being burned alive in the middle of an ocean. Like he was starving to death with a warren of fat, bloody rabbits at his feet.

_Torture!_

Simon had to be doing it on purpose. The incessantly running his hands through is bronze locks. The bending over _just_ far enough that the hem of Baz's shirt shimmied up his thigh to reveal his black, form-fitting underwear. The slight blush that tinted his cheeks when he was fixing Baz's clothing drawers.

Baz could hardly stop himself from throwing caution to the wind and jumping his roommate right then and there. He tried desperately hard to not stare, but _Snorri Sturluson_ that was easier thought than done.

_"Simon?"_

_"Hmm... Yes Baz?"_

_"You know you're the most attractive person The World of Mages has yet to see, right?"_

_"No shit, Baz. Everyone knows that. Especially Maryanne and Carrie and Arlais and Sabine and all the other beautiful girls at Watford who lust after me."_

_"Well, I think I love you."_

_"Hush, Baz. They do too."_

Baz tried to concentrate harder on tidying up and less on his roommate's muscular legs. The room was already in much better condition than even fifteen minutes ago when they had started.

All of the drawers were fixed and filled with their folded clothing. The heap of clothes on the ceiling had been removed and returned to the hangers in the closet. The texts and notebooks belonging on the desks and shelves had been collected and put back to their proper places. All that was really left to do was to make Baz's bed.

"I guess this is it," Simon said, looking slightly skeptical at the rumbled sheets and balled-up blankets, untouched since they woke up together. "I suppose..." he trailed off.

Baz thought fast, turning and grabbing his wand off of his bedside table.

_"Clean as a whistle!"_

Instantly, the sheets and blankets flew off of the bed and into the laundry hamper with a new set simultaneously flying from the closet, stretching and righting themselves into proper order on his bed.

"Now why the hell didn't you do that with the whole room?" Simon asked, flopping down on the fresh linens.

"You can do magic too, why didn't you do it yourself?" grumbled Baz as he sat down next to him. He justified the rude response with the fact that the real reason was his roommate's alluring upper-thighs.

Only a few moments later, there was a knock at the door.

"The girls," Simon stated the obvious, standing to unlock the door and let them in.

"Why thank you, Simon," Agatha said as she waltzed in. She cleaned up nicely in under a half hour, Baz noted. Her hair was back to its shimmering golden glory, her face looked freshly washed and the casual clothes she wore still somehow accented her elegant curves. Baz watched Simon's reaction to her looks. Nothing. Not even a glance. Either Simon was absolutely oblivious to Agatha's immeasurable beauty, or he truly did only think of her as a friend since their brief relationship. Penny followed her close behind, closing the door behind her. Baz watched Simon again. Nothing, again. He wasn't as surprised with Penny. Not that she wasn't attractive, just not in the same conventional ways as Agatha. It was subtle, more to do with personality, in Baz's opinion. Baz knew he was being ridiculous, but he couldn't help that every time he and Simon were together with other people he immediately thought of them as threats. Despite the fact that there wasn't anything for them to threaten.

"Right, then. It's not so bad in here." Penny looked around. "Although, neither of you could seem to find the time to clothe yourself, I see."

"Oh... Yeah, completely forgot about that," Simon said, flustered as always, apple-cheeked as always.  
Baz hadn't quite forgotten, but when he thought to put on a pair of trousers and realized Simon would then as well, he decided to keep his mouth shut.

Penny just started over to Baz's bed without a word, sitting crisscross at the foot. "Come," she said, beckoning Simon and Agatha over.

"Why my bed?" Baz groaned as Agatha snatched his pillow to lean back on.

"Because I'm scared as to when the last time Simon changed his sheets was," Penny crinkled her nose, causing her glasses to fall down slightly. "So, where should we start?"

"The beginning," Simon said as he sat next to Baz. The four of them sat in a small circle on his bed, making it a pretty tight fit. So tight, that Simon's knee just happened to gently rest against Baz's.

_Aleister, even his kneecaps are sexy._

"Okay. First, I just want to say that there will be no questions or comments until after I finish telling the whole story. With exception to Agatha, who does actually know what happened."

"That's right, bitches! I have an exception." Agatha grinned evilly while Penny just rolled her eyes.

"Just get on with it already," Baz said, inpatient.

"Well, I believe the story starts at around six-thirty last evening. We all were down at dinner, and-"

"Pen, we remember that part. It's after the alcohol comes into play that the details get fuzzy," Simon said.

"Fine, then. We were all at the party in The White Chapel. Martin and Kendra had just arrived with the drinks. Someone suggested shots, so, naturally, you two decided to turn it into an undeclared battle as to which of you could do the most."

"Simon won," Agatha butted in.

"No way!" Baz said, outraged. "This lightweight can't sip a gin and tonic without getting tipsy. Remember last year’s Winter Holiday party?" Simon just smiled, obviously pleased with his forgotten-past self.

"He actually blew you out of the park-"

"Agatha. Don't make me revoke your speaking rights," Penny scolded. "Where was I? Oh, yes. So after you two pounded the better portion of two bottles of tequila alone," both Simon and Baz's stomachs rolled at the thought, "We decided to play spin-the-bottle."

Baz's lungs stopped working and he nearly choked on his own spit, fighting to keep a calm demeanor. He sneaked at glance at Simon, whose red face clearly proved what he was thinking.

_Smooth, Baz. Smooth._

\--------------------

_Smooth, Simon. Smooth. Did it really have to happen while playing spin-the-bottle, of all things?_

Simon looked over at Baz. He looked utterly under control. Cool and collected, as always. There was no way it could be an act, he was just so... placid. Sometimes, Simon had the urge to just scream at the raven haired boy until he got a reaction larger than the slight raising of a single, sleek black eyebrow. He desperately hoped he hadn't ruined his relationship with Baz, however rocky it may be. Simon had (nearly) come to terms with the fact that Baz would never feel the same about him as he did for the tall vampire, but the thought of losing their friendship was unbearable. Better to admire close up as friends than afar as enemies. That was the most he could let himself hope for.

"The game started out pretty vanilla. We were all sitting up on the dais under the giant candelabras. Everyone was a bit tipsy, save me, of course, so it made for some very loose lips. About ten minutes in, Elspeth and Niall have a particularly handsy bout, lots of unmentionable noises. After that, things started to heat up."

"What!?" spluttered Baz, rocking back slightly in surprise.

"Now that is one thing I'm grateful to have forgotten," Simon said as he shook his head.

"It was pretty gross," added Agatha. "And, it actually turns out that they've totally been a thing for a few months now. Shocker, right?" Never to be left out of the loop, Agatha loved to keep tabs on all of the lovesick-couples and drunken-hookups that plagued their more resent Watford years, despite being on a bit of a relationship boycott herself. "I wonder... Do you think Elspeth's tongue is raspy, like a cat's?"

"Hush, stop interrupting, Ag!" Penny said. "Anyway, after the Nialspeth incident, no one was holding back anymore. I'm talking full-on make out sessions." Both Penny and Agatha started to blush slightly, causing Simon to wonder who _they_ ended up kissing.

"It's a shame you two don't remember," Agatha said. "I have a feeling some of the pairings last night will go down in Watford history. Did you know that Dev has this nervous tic that he sneezes whenever someone touches his-"

"You girls are such gossips!" Simon said exasperatedly. "Just get to the part where Baz and I kiss already!"

"As if you two would actually kiss while playing spin-the-bottle!" Agatha said with laugh.

Simon was terrified for a moment that he was totally off in assuming that this was where the story was headed, but the subtle look of relief on Baz's face proved that he had drawn the same conclusion.

"Yeah. If you two dimwits would have just kissed, everything would have been infinitely easier. Instead, you had to go and make fools of yourselves," Penny admonished.

"Oooo, Pen, please let me tell this part!" Agatha begged, clasping her hands together and knelling down in front of Penny on the bed.

"Like me telling you no is going to stop you," Penny grumbled, tucking a lock of hair behind her ears.

"Glad we're in agreement there," Agatha said, grinning like the Cheshire cat. "So, this is how it goes. Everyone has had a turn or two. Baz having a particularly frisky bout with Rita, that seventh year with the silver hair, and Simon with Becky Sayers, who was practically whimpering for more."

Simon didn't like the thought that he had kissed Becky and couldn't remember. And he definitely didn't like the thought of Baz kissing Rita, or anyone in general. He was slightly surprised at himself for doing it. Simon had known for certain that he was gay for a while now. Not long enough that he had told his friends yet, though. He wasn't against coming out, he knew he'd do it eventually, but he still felt weird about it. Almost like it was just another label people could slap onto him, along with 'Mage's Heir' and 'Hero' and 'Savior', all of which with their own expectations and restrictions. He basically decided he'd put it off until there was the prospect of him being in a relationship. And at this point, it didn't seem as though that was going to happen anytime soon. He must have had a supremely good reason to have kissed Becky.

"So, every pair of lips has done some smacking, and it's our dear friend Simon's turn again. _Duh duh dun!"_ Agatha added for emphasis. Simon swallowed nervously. "He reaches out and grabs the bottle, giving it a good, solid spin. We all watch in anticipation. Who's going to get a chance to snog the handsome, blue-eyed Mage's Heir?" Simon could tell the blush on his face was potentially blinding. "It slows gradually to a stop. Everyone is tracing a line with their eyes from the empty bottle, across the stone floor, and up at the black-haired vampire it happens to be pointing to."

"I thought you said we didn't kiss!" Baz exclaimed.

"You most certainly didn't," said Agatha. "Everyone is hooting and hollering now. This is the biggest upset since ever. Simon and his atomic-cherry cheeks have just started to stand, presumably to go and finish his turn, when..." Both Penny and Agatha sighed towards Baz in what appeared to be pure disappointment.

"When Baz does the most block-headed thing a boy in love can do," Penny said.

 _Baz? A boy in love?_ Simon looked over at the 'boy' in question just in time to catch the surprising combination of astonishment, anger and - _could it be fear?_ \- cross his face for a quick second.

"So our poor, sweet Simon, ready to fulfill his duties as a spin-the-bottle percipient, face shining with hope, excitement bursting from his gaze, joy permeating the air-"

"Get on with it, Agatha," Simon said through gritted teeth.

"Rawr," Agatha pawed her hand in the air at Simon. "Anyway, previously mentioned block-head," she nodded at Baz. "made the whole situation a million times worse for himself by deciding that very second that he was above playing, and I quote, 'Stupid children's party games'. Flat-out refusing to participate anymore."

 _Oh,_ Simon thought to himself, feeling heat crawling up his cheeks. Baz was shifting uncomfortably next to him, drumming his fingers absentmindedly on his thigh.

"So, since half of the lips needed to smack decided to quit the game, everyone insisted Simon had to spin again."

"Really? You all couldn't just let it go?" Simon sighed, trying incredibly hard not to whine when he said it.

"Oh, just wait." Agatha smirked. "So Simon eventually gives in and grabs the bottle, spinning it once more. And this time..." the girls shared a slick smile. "It lands on Joshua Sourbraun." Agatha finished off with a dramatic swoon.

 _Joshua Sourbraun!_ Simon almost swooned himself. Sourbraun was not only the captain of the eighth year football team and sword dueling club, but he was arguably one of the handsomest boys at Watford. His tall and taught athletic build, bronze skin, crimpy black hair and dark brown eyes made girls - and boys - flock to him in hoards. Complete shame he was a bit of a bore, in Simon's opinion. That was one thing Baz could never be accused of.

Simon studied Baz's reaction. Nothing other than a slight huff of breath in what was probably surprise.

Agatha and Penny were giggling like school girls by now. Penny starts again.

"So the bottle has just landed on Sourbraun, causing the _next_ biggest upset since ever. Joshua and Simon both stand and walk to the middle of the floor. _Everyone is dying._ This is going to be even better than Nialspeth! Two of the hottest boys in school are about to kiss. Did I mention everyone is dying?" Penny was really getting into the story by then, face flushed with laughter and arms spread wide theatrically.

 _Did she just call me hot?_ Penny was so obviously drunk with excitement at retelling the story, no trace of her earlier reservations. Despite that, Simon was even more nervous than before. Joshua wasn't even gay, was he? Why would he agree to kiss Simon after Baz had so easily copped out a moment ago?

"So the boys meet in the middle of the circle. Girls, and some boys, are literally squealing like piglets in anticipation. Simon reaches out and cups Sourbraun's face in his hands while Joshua gently grabs the base of his neck, inching ever so slightly closer and closer..." Penny paused for dramatic effect. "...Then, their lips crash together in the most passionate and explosive kiss anyone has ever seen! Applause and catcalls are bouncing off of the walls of the Chapel, egging them on even more. Agatha and I are rolling on the floor with glee, until I spot the sole person not having an absolute blast." She turned and looked at the pale vampire with a pitying expression. "Poor Baz looked like someone just told him the world was going to end in thirty seconds. And also kind of like he was going to end the world in thirty seconds. Agatha and I hurry over to him, but the block-head just scampers down towards the catacombs the moment he sees us."

Simon could feel his heartbeat quicken. He could definitely see himself kissing Sourbraun after getting rejected by Baz, out of anger as well as heartbreak, but why would Baz have been that upset at seeing them kiss?

\--------------------

"I don't _scamper!"_ Baz said exasperatedly.

 _Really, Baz. That's the part of this story you're going to comment on?_ he thought to himself. He was afraid he was going to implode. Everything would collapse inside of him, pulled in and kept locked up so tight and for so long. Nothing could be let out. Nothing could escape from his lips or even into his thoughts without control. His emotions kept on the securest of leashes. It would all just crush him from the inside. What had he been thinking?

 _Snow kissed Sourbraun_ , rang throughout Baz's skull, mashing away alongside his pounding headache. I _was supposed to kiss Snow,_ me! _But Snow kissed bloody Sourbraun... Because of me._

"Oh, Baz. You most certainly do scamper." Baz snapped out of his thoughts. "I can think of at least three instances of scampering in the last month," Penny stated with her stupid know-it-all tone, pushing her glasses up her freckled nose. "There was that time-"

Baz tuned her out. He had too much thinking to do. Why had he refused to kiss Snow? Especially considering Simon appeared willing to kiss him. Hadn't this been exactly the opportunity he'd been waiting for all of these years? A chance, any chance, to touch and taste and feel Simon's lips against his own, even if it could never mean the same thing to him?

"-now that I think about it, that time was probably more of a scuttle."

"Penny. I don't care," Baz said flatly. Her jaw clenched.

"Fine. Where was I? Oh, yes. Baz had just scampered off down towards the catacombs. Agatha and I were fast on his heels, but lost him at Seuss and Nash. We returned to the party to find that Simon has disappeared, leaving a rather flustered Joshua Sourbraun in his wake. After that, we didn't see either of you for a couple of hours."

"What?" Simon exclaimed, dramatically falling forward onto the bed. "We just disappeared?"

"Yes, yes, but you'll be back in the story in a moment," Penny dismissed Simon's theatrics with a wave of her hand.

"My turn!" Agatha said. Penny just huffed. "We are back at the party, but things have severely died-down by now. Everybody knows there's no way in hell anything could live up to The Snog of The Century, as people are now referring to it as," Baz's heart drops at this. _It should have been me!_ "So pretty soon the game breaks up. It's around twelve and most people are sneaking back to their dorms, while a few of the eighth years decide to keep the fun going in Lucinda and Elspeth's room, you know, because they've got the most space and that gigantic balcony."

It was true. For some reason, Lucinda and Elspeth always ended up with this huge room at the end of the girl’s wing. All of the dorms were different and Simon and Baz always ended up with the more traditional, cramped, one-window type room.

"Once we get to the room the party picks up again. There are only a few of us left: Lucinda, Elspeth, Niall, Dev, Martin, Kendra, Penny, me..." Agatha counts out on her fingers. "Maybe a few others. Things start to go a bit fuzzy here."

"Great," Simon grumbles. "And do either of you have any idea where we are?" Simon waves a hand at himself and Baz. "Or, better yet, care?"

"Oh hush, babydoll." That was one of Agatha's new favorite nicknames for Simon, much to his chagrin and Baz's amusement.

"Ok, so now things are getting sort of weird." Agatha hums softly to herself, deep in though. "I have a feeling it started with Lucinda bringing up that over winter holiday while she was in Paris she had gotten wrapped up in some sort of high-stakes poker game. That led us to our next bad decision." Agatha paused, sighing slightly as though ashamed. "Strip poker."

"You didn't!" Simon gasped while Baz started to laugh uncontrollably. "Penny?"

_Oh, this is going to be so good!_

"Simon, there are certain things I have done in my life that, with proper reflection, I have come to regret." Penny gazed intensely into Simon's blue eyes, her glassed catching the light dramatically. "Strip poker... was not one of them! I creamed those bitches down to their birthday-suits." Penny was simply cackling with delight.

 _Great. Like_ her _head needed to get any bigger_ , Baz thought to himself halfheartedly, as he was actually quite amused that Penny would let herself do something as crazy as that.

"Yes, well, none of us knew when the game began that we had a poker-goddess in our midst," Agatha sighed dramatically. "We were just lucky that clothes were all we were playing for. Many a wallet would have left empty had it been otherwise."

Penny looked incredibly smug, beaming from ear-to-ear. "We should play sometime!" she insisted.

"I'd say Baz and I are already in quite the vibrant state of undress," Simon argued, slightly embarrassed judging by his apple-cheeks. Baz had totally forgotten that he was only wearing boxers. He shifted slightly, suddenly self-conscious, but the way Agatha and Penny were giggling at the boys made it all disappear. They were their friends, mostly-naked or not.

"Oh, believe me, we haven't nor will we ever forget." Agatha laughed lightly, clearly meaning what she said.

"Back to the story!" Simon clapped his hands together, clearly making an attempt to change the subject. "You still have no idea where we are, correct?"

"If I had to wager a guess, I’d say you guys had been in the catacombs. What with the way Baz _scampered_ down there and that when you did finally show up again, you were covered in cobwebs." Penny wrinkled her nose. She had a certain disdain for spiders. "It was at the end of our poker game that you two decided to make your final appearance. You both were so positively flustered, as well as angry and drunk-off-your-asses, that I don't think you even realized half the room was stark-naked. That is," Penny stopped, turning to Agatha and they shared an amused look, "until Joshua talked to you, Simon."

"No one mentioned _he_ was still there," Baz said, sounding perfectly casual when all he really wanted to do was wring that bastard Sourbraun's neck.

Gorgeous body be damned, that boy should be shot, he thought miserably to himself.

"Yes, well, I forgot." Agatha dismissed it with a wave.

Simon was absentmindedly tugging on the hem of his shirt again. Baz had to force himself not to stare. He was just so goddamn distracting! His shirt probably smelled like Simon now. Baz was never going to be able to wear it again, he realized. That, or never take it off. He swallowed, shaking his head slightly. When he looked up he realized Penny had caught him gazing and was smirking over at him.

"So you boys mysteriously appear, surprising everyone considering you didn't even know we had decided to go to Elspeth and Lucinda's," Agatha began. "Something is obviously wrong, as Baz seemed angrily-mortified while Simon looked nearly treacherous, slamming the door behind him so hard the lights flickered." Penny pished slightly at this, but Agatha just frowned at her and continued on. "No one was quite sure what was happening, and the room went quiet. We all just sit there, dumbfound for a moment, before turning back to finish the game. You boys go to opposite sides of the room, glaring nastily at each other at every chance. Penny's too busy snatching the clothes off people's backs to notice, but I can tell something went down between you two. Baz looked ready to jump off of the balcony and into the moat, and Simon looked ready to give him a push."

 _Crowley, what had I done now?_ Baz thought to himself exasperatedly.

"It was only a few minutes until the game was over," Penny said. "Most people were down a few layers, a few completely naked, but everyone was extremely drunk so nobody really cared."

"I had my blouse on as well as my undergarments," Agatha piped in proudly.

"Yes and we're all so proud of you for it. Anyway, I claim the title of Poker Queen of Watford, ruling over my nude subjects. Everything is cheery and blissful for a few precious moments. Then..." Penny turned to Agatha.

"Joshua goes over to Simon, naked as a jaybird, mind you, and leans over to whisper something in his ear," Agatha's eyes were almost as big as her smile, snaking fear into Baz's stomach. "Whatever he says makes Simon laugh, and he smiles up at him. And then, out of nowhere, Baz appears from across the room and punches Joshua square in the face!"

\--------------------

Simon and Baz were sitting in a stunned silence.

"I did what?" Baz spoke up, finally. Simon glanced over at him and caught a hint of what might have been triumph cross his face, before he returned to his ever-placid self.

_Goodness, Baz punched him? Could he have been jealous?_

"Baz, you punched him so hard you broke his nose. Blood was spraying everywhere! We were worried you would go after him again, but you just stumbled over and fell on your ass," Agatha said. "Of course, Penny came over and fixed him up in a jiffy, but he was none too happy with you. I have a feeling you eared yourself an enemy, Basil. I still can't believe you did it." Agatha looked over at Baz in astonishment.

Simon reached over and grabbed Baz's hand, ignoring the butterflies in his stomach at the soft feel of it. He turned it over, revealing nasty black and blue bruises covering his knuckles.

 _"Walker, Clifton and Ashbery,"_ Baz muttered to himself, clenching and opening his fist a few times. "I didn't even see these." He looked up at Simon, who quickly pulled his hand away after realizing he was still holding Baz's. This just made the girls chuckle and sigh.

"I know this sounds crazy, but Baz punching Joshua was nothing compared to what happened next." Penny said. "We are all stumbling around, trying to sop up the blood that went everywhere, and Simon just _explodes._ He jumps on Baz and just starts drunkenly beating away, just like old times when you idiots hated each other." _What?_

"You two are screaming like cats, _“Go to hell, Pitch!”_ and _“If you're around I'm already there, Snow!”_ and _“You bloody bastard!”_. You know, the classics," Penny said, doing her best Simon and Baz impressions, which were honestly not that bad. "And then... It sort of shifts. All of the sudden you're less punching each other and more pulling at each other. It was all very dramatic." Penny stopped, turning towards Agatha. She bit her lip nervously. "Are you sure we should do this?"

"...Yes," Agatha said firmly after a brief moment’s hesitation. She turned to the boys, smiling slightly. "So after eight years of being enemies, reluctant allies, friends, and eventually best friends-" Simon smiled. Baz really was his best friend. "-You two look at each other, and I mean _really_ look, and in that moment everyone knows." Agatha's voice was quiet, but her eyes were sparkling. "And then, you kiss."

Simon was too scared to look at Baz, but something in Agatha's awed demeanor gave him the courage to. They made eye contact and Baz flashed him a shy smile, the farthest thing from his normal smirk Simon at ever witnessed, making him smile back. Penny and Agatha shared a look that screamed: _Finally!_

"And let me just say, it was a damn fine kiss too. Little did we know that this was The Snog of The Century, and that other thing was little more than a friendly peck from grandma." Agatha said, smiling joyously.

"So that is the story of last night. Everyone left after the kiss and are probably still nursing hangovers in their dorms. It's a right shame you can't remember, but what are friends for than to fill in the blanks of tequila induced memory loss," Penny said. "And with that," she stood from the bed, pulling a reluctant Agatha with her, "we will be leaving."

"Wait, what about after the kiss?" Simon asked, slightly apprehensive at the thought of being alone with Baz.

"Well, while we were escorting you two tosspots to your dorm early this morning, Baz was pretty clear about what he was planning on doing to you once we got there, so I'm sure he can fill in _those_ blanks. Now that I think about it... maybe he was a little _too_ clear," Agatha said more to herself than the petrified boys, scrunching up her nose. "Anyway, I going to go take a long nap and probably vomit the remainder of the day away, Penny's atrocious concoction is wearing off, but you two have a nice rest of your day!" Agatha called out a farewell as she started down the hall. _"Be safe! Use protection! Penny and I don't want any teen pregnancies on our hands!"_

"Ignore her. I think she's still a little bit inebriated. We are absolutely ecstatic that you two are finally together." Penny said happily. She embraced Simon, and Baz, (much to his surprise), before heading to the door.

Before she could leave, Baz cleared his throat and said, "Just how long _have_ you known, Pen?" His voice sounded light, almost gentle. He had swallowed his pride and accepted that this was what was happening. Simon had to fight a smile at hearing Baz use his nickname for Penny. She just laughed.

"No doubt longer than either of you. I mean, come on, how blind do you think I am? I'd say, with confidence, Simon in fifth year. And you..." She paused, forehead crinkled in thought and a bright smile on her face. "For you I'd say, with confidence, third year."

"What?" Baz scoffed. "No way!"

"Yes way! I'm nearly inclined to say second year. Don't be embarrassed! You did peak much earlier."

"Now what was that about you leaving?" Baz said, hurriedly grabbing her shoulders and pushing her towards the door. All the while, she and Simon laughed ridiculously.

"See you boys later! Don't forget about that Politickal Science final on Monday. Oh, and Simon, I e-mailed you a booklist of possible resources for your essay in Advanced Magickal Spe-"

"Penny, thank you and goodbye." Simon kissed her lightly on the cheek and closed the door before she could ask to proofread something.

Simon paused, taking a moment to try and collect himself before turning around. It was all inevitable at this point, but that didn't make it any easier. He walked over to his bed, perching on the edge. Baz was sitting on his, knees tucked into his chest.

"Well, that has got to be the most embarrassing thing that could have ever happened to us," Simon said, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Speak for yourself, Snow. I once showed up at a black-and-white wedding reception in a navy blazer." Simon chuckled lightly, glancing over at Baz. He met his gaze full-on, grey eyes sharp with questions. Simon knew that it was his turn to talk. He cleared his throat, lacing his fingers together.

"So, I'm gay."

Baz simply nodded, appearing to have expected that.

"Yeah. Me too."

"That's cool."

"Yeah... A lot cooler now, I mean, now that I know that...you..."

"Yeah," Simon said, slightly bemused at Baz's loss for words.

"So..."

"Baz, I'm totally in love with you." Simon gathered all of his courage and came out and said it. Baz's gaze shot to his and he glared at him angrily.

“Take it back.”

"Excuse me?" Simon asked, more than somewhat baffled and upset at his reaction. Was Baz really trying to cop-out now? After everything that happen last night and today? He stood and walked over to Baz's bed, kneeling down on the floor in front of him.

"Tyrannus Basilton Pitch, I am head-over-heels, 100%, inexplicably in love with you." He grabbed Baz's knee, no longer afraid to be honest with his best friend, as well as himself. "I know now that you have feelings about me, however strong or weak they may be, and if you try to wriggle your way out of this I swear, Aleister Almighty, I'll murder you."

Baz's gaze fluttered from Simon's hand on his knee to his deep blue eyes. Amusement crinkled his cheeks and up and around his grey eyes.

"What, you aggravating bastard?" Simon hissed.

\--------------------

"What I meant, Simon, was that I wanted to say it first. I love you, that is. Not that you aren't an aggravating bastard yourself."

Baz almost didn't want to tell Simon. _He's just so goddamn adorable when he's angry,_ he thought to himself hopelessly, already resigned to the fact that Simon would have him wrapped around his finger in no time at all.

"You simply beat me to the punch, you git." Baz said, gently taking Simon's hand in his.

"Oh," Simon said, red flushing his cheeks.

"That's okay. You can win for once," Baz joked, trying to get a rise out of Simon.

"For once? I beg your pardon, sir, but I believe a certain empty tequila bottle from last night will say differently." Simon laughed, sitting next to Baz in the middle of his bed.

"Ugh... New rule, don't ever talk about or drink tequila again," Baz groaned, rubbing his temples.

"Now that I think about it, I also appear to have won a game of spin-the-bottle."

"Another new rule, never mention that awful game again."

"I guess technically both Joshua and I won-"

"New rule, never ever ever mention _that_ aggravating bastard again!" Baz demanded, hiding his face in his hands.

"Oh, come on now. Are you jealous?" Simon teased, gently pulling Baz's hands away from his face.

"Absolutely." Baz lightly laughed, slipping Simon a shy glance.

"Don't be." Simon traced patterns on Baz's palms, slowly inching up his arms.

"I still can't believe I didn't kiss you," Baz said, shaking his head. "I can't think of any reason, good or bad, which could possibly have stopped me."

Simon smiled brightly at that, making Baz smile too.

"Maybe you were nervous?"

"Oh, I can promise you I was. I just didn't think that that would have been enough to stop me."

"Hmm..." Simon said, as though deep in thought. "Well, are you nervous now?"

Baz looked down into Simon's assuring gaze. _Simon always was the brave one._

"No."

"Well, than, what's stopping you?"

With that, Simon slipped his hands up Baz's bare chest to cup his face. Baz thought his heart was going to explode out of his chest it was beating so fast. He tentatively reached out and put a hand behind Simon's neck, tilting his enthralling lips up towards his. He brushed away a stray lock of Simon's bronze hair with his other hand, gently resting his fingers along his jawline. Simon leaned in, pulling Baz to him. His lips were heartbeats away from the warmth of Simon's breath, but Baz pulled slightly away and started to laugh.

"No way am I letting you win this, too," Baz whispered. Simon's eyes slit in annoyance and he opened his mouth to say something, but Baz lunged at him. Their mouths crashed together in a mess of lips. Baz pushed Simon down on the bed, grabbing firmly onto his powder-blue shirt. He could feel Simon's smile as he ran his hands through Baz’s hair. They were both giggling and smiling so much that it was a million times harder to breathe, and a million times less necessary to than ever before.

"God, Baz, you definitely win," Simon gasped out, their lips still barely separated.

"I know." Baz smirked into Simon's neck, trailing butterfly-kisses to the collar of his shirt.

"Git," Simon laughed, running his hands along Baz's chest. Baz gently fingered the top button of his shirt.

 _"Please,"_ Simon answered Baz's unspoken question. Baz grinned, quickly unbuttoning the shirt.

"Crowley, Simon, when I woke up and saw you in this, it was all I could do to not just pounce on you." Baz laughed, shaking his head. Simon's eye's gleamed.

"I thought you were looking at me sort of funny. I just figured it was because this is _your_ shirt." He sat up for a moment, pulling his arms out of the sleeves and throwing it to the floor. Baz could barely suppress the growl growing in his throat at the sight of Simon's strong, defined chest. One perk of all the physical training they went through was Baz and Simon were not only strong, but looked it too.

"I never thought that this could ever happen," Simon said. He sounded almost awed when he spoke, pulling Baz's gaze to his goofy grin.

"You and me both, Simon," Baz smiled, tracing a hand down his broad shoulders as he propped himself up on an elbow.

"We really were pretty thick for never realizing it, and even after all this time it still required alcohol, jealousy, a somewhat compromising sleeping situation, and the girls confirmation for us to truly believe it could happen," Simon said, looking Baz squarely in the eyes.

"Although I'd do anything for this to have come about years ago and save us both the angst and heartache, you were definitely worth the wait." Baz smiled.

\--------------------

Both boys lay facing each other in a happy silence. Simon wished it would never end. He wasn't sure when or why they started talking, but soon he and Baz were quietly regaling each other with memories from their younger-years when they had hated the other.

"You just sat there looking utterly adorable in flannel, while completely baffled as to why no one else was wearing pajamas." Baz was grinning at the memory while Simon giggled.

"I remember that now. Professor Chilblains sent me to change the second I entered the room, holding up the rest of the class to my great embarrassment. I can't believe I fell for that wicked prank." Simon shook his head, smiling. He stifled a yawn, drowsiness heavy on his eyelids.

"I can't either. Did you really think Watford was the kind of school that had a Pajama Day?" Baz laughed, playing with Simon's hair.

"I did when I was a first year and received a regulatory email stating so. How did you even manage that?"

" _Lots_ of bribery."

"Evil little prat."

"Come on, that was a mild one compared to later years, you have to admit."

"I least I didn't play dirty like that, involving school staff in our little quarrels."

"Oh like hell you didn't," Baz pished. "Like you can honestly tell me that you didn't have staff assistance in arranging that fiasco were my fifth year dissection project _just so happened_ to revive itself and nearly bite my hand clean off."

"Nope, that was just Penny's help. It was after that time you called her my underling."

"Oh, right. Probably deserved that one," Baz cringed comically.

"She was immensely smug for weeks after that. Just think of the danger we'd all be in if she was the type to get riled-up easily."

"I try not to think about it, honestly. I'd give myself nightmares."

\--------------------

Baz smiled as Simon laughed at him, tracing a finger across his cheek. His blue irises were alight with happiness. Baz couldn't look away from those eyes, drinking in their deep color like a rich wine. They grew silent for a moment.

"God, you're so stunning," Simon whispered, a second before a similar statement could escaped Baz's lips, their eyes never leaving each other's.

"I think your still a little tipsy there, Simon," Baz teased, his face softening into his smile. He leaned forward and kissed Simon's cheek. Simon yawned, nuzzling his head deeper into Baz's pillow.

"I think you're right,"

Baz could see sleepiness pulling at his features. His square jaw slackening into another yawn as he closed his eyes.

"Sleepy, love?" Baz whispered, pressing his forehead against Simon's.

"Mmmm," he replied, which Baz assumed to be a yes. Tiredness was creeping at Baz as well. He glanced at the clock. It was growing late. He leaned over and flicked off the light switch, plunging the room into darkness. He wrapped an arm around Simon, pulling him closer.

"Do I get to sleep with you again tonight?" Simon's sleepy voice asked.

"Yes. And whenever else you want," Baz said, praying that his voice didn’t sound as desperately hopeful to Simon as it did to him.

Simon wrapped an arm across Baz's still bare waist, holding him closer.

"You're cute," Simon said, giving him one last goodnight kiss before both boys fell into a deep, happy sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Woo-hoo! You made it. Thanks so much for reading. Comments and kudos are much appreciated.


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